Off to School
by Scarred Sword Heart
Summary: Kenji has trouble fitting in at school. Slightly revised for greater historical accuracy.
1. Trouble at School

**Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin is the property of Watsuki-sensei, Viz, Shonen Jump, Shueisha, Media Blasters, ADV, Fuji TV and Sony. I'm just a little blip on the radar screen. No money goes into my wallet for what I type.**

* * *

_September, 1885  
Tokyo, The temple school_

At age six, Himura Kenji thought himself quite a big boy; he had graduated to the second level of Kamiya Kasshin and today he would be starting first grade at the new school house.

Both parents saw Kenji off to school in the morning. Kenshin had many secret misgivings. He knew that those who differed from the status quo in the slightest way were often shunned. He remembered back to his own starved childhood. Even before he'd been torn from his family by disease, he'd been solitary, rejected by the other village children for his exotic complexion, small stature and strange quiet temperament. Kenji was a very willful and spirited child. How would he get along with the other children? Would he make friends with them, or would he be rejected for his looks and willfulness?

"You be good and mind the teacher, Kenji," admonished Kaoru.

"Yes, Mom," said Kenji, wanting to represent his family well on his first day of school.

"Remember that if you're friendly to the other children, they'll probably be friendly back to you," offered Kenshin.

"Yes, Dad," said Kenji, getting a bit anxious to break away from his parents and walk to the schoolhouse.

"Off you go," said both parents together.

"Bye," said Kenji as he started off.

As he walked toward the school, Kenji saw a lot of other young children, some with their parents, some walking alone as he was. Kenji cast out his ki to try and sense theirs the way Dad had taught him. Most of the other children were excited, nervous, etc. A few clung to their parents and wailed because they were frightened.

As Kenji neared the school, he was hit by a rather hostile ki. His eyes panned the crowd and locked with the gaze of a little boy with curly black hair and impudent brown eyes. The two sized each other up. Kenji sensed he would have trouble with this boy.

* * *

_Other boy's POV_

Hiyoshi Takuma watched in disgust as the redhaired, blue-eyed, fair-skinned boy approached the school from the distance. What was that foreigner doing here? Japan was for the Japanese! Revere the Emperor and expel the barbarians! That was what his father, a steelsmith for the anti-foreigner royalists during the Bakumatsu had taught him since he was little.

It made Takuma's blood boil to see this little foreigner just walking down the street as if he had the right to be there. Takuma resolved to make this redheaded foreigner's life a living hell.

* * *

As his eyes roved the crowd, they came to rest on a little girl, a beautiful little girl in a sky-blue kimono with a white butterfly print on it. She had long, silky black hair and honey-colored eyes. Kenji couldn't stop staring at her. As if feeling his stare, she looked up and smiled at him. Kenji felt his lips curl up in a smile.

The schoolhouse door opened and the bell rang to call the children to line up. The teacher, a woman looking to be in her mid-20s stood in the doorway and called for the children to quiet down.

As Kenji entered the class room with the other children, he was impressed by how large it was. The room was furnished with desks low to the ground because everyone sat on the floor. The teacher had everyone stand in a group and proceeded to introduce herself.

"Good morning, children. My name is Fukushita-sensei. I will call out your names and have you sit in alphabetical order. Please raise your hand when I call your name," said Fukushita-sensei.

One by one, she called out the children's names. Each child that raised their hand was then assigned to a desk.

"Himura Kenji," she called out.

Kenji raised his right hand. Fukushita-sensei pointed him to a middle row seat which, much to his delight, was right next to a window.

As the rest of the children were sent to their seats, Kenji watched them with great curiosity. As each child was named off, he attached their name to their face instantly. He had a steel-trap memory and would never forget the name of a person once he saw their face.

"Uchina Touru," Fukushita-sensei called out.

The little girl who had smiled at Kenji came forth and was directed to sit at a desk on almost the opposite end of the room. Touru demurely took her seat, arranged her stuff, then looked right up at Kenji and smiled again. Once again, Kenji smiled quickly before turning away. His delight was short-lived however when the teacher called out the name of the next student.

"Hiyoshi Takuma," called out Fukushita-sensei.

Kenji turned to look and sure enough, the brat with the impudent brown eyes raised his hand and was directed to sit right behind him. Of all the rotten luck. Takuma sat down behind Kenji and fixed him with a malicious gaze. Kenji scowled right back at him. He wouldn't be subdued by this Takuma kid!

"What are you lookin' at, you dirty foreigner?" said Takuma. "My dad says foreigners have no right to live in Japan and no right to send their kids to school here."

"I'm not a foreigner. I'm Japanese," growled Kenji.

"You sure don't look like it, Copper Top," said Takuma.

Kenji, who had a rather short fuse when it came to his hair color, was just about to reach over the desk and throttle Takuma for that remark when Fukushita-sensei clapped the bat against the desk and ordered quiet in the room, which had become quite a din since all the children were now sitting down. Kenji and Takuma glared at each other, then turned to face Fukushita-sensei.

* * *

Kenshin approached the front room of the house and looked all around. The coast was clear! The last time he had seen Kaoru, she had been taking a nap in their bedroom. He started to head for the front door. He wanted to run over to the school and make sure Kenji was OK. Just as Kenshin was about to slide the door open...

"Freeze!" came his wife's imperious voice.

"Oro!" went Kenshin, going all swirly eyed at being startled.

How was the greatest warrior of the Bakumatsu so easily snuck up on by his wife?

"And where are you off to, Himura Kenshin?" asked Kaoru.

"Would you believe me if I said I was going shopping for tofu?" Kenshin offered lamely.

"Without this?" asked Kaoru, holding up the bucket.

"Ooooh, so you had it. No wonder I couldn't find it," said Kenshin, knowing his ship was already sunk.

"Uh-huh, if you're going to lie, at least try not to be so lame about it. Now, the logs aren't going to chop themselves. And don't even think of sneaking out the back gate," said Kaoru, pointing to the backyard

"Oroooooo," said Kenshin as he hung his head and went out back to chop logs.

* * *

The morning lessons proceeded smoothly. The children got right into learning how to write out their names in kanji. Kenji had a grand time stroking the black brush over the paper and seeing the symbols for his name appear on the paper. This was something that he'd made with his own two hands. He couldn't wait to show Mom and Dad!

During math class, things started to go downhill. Kenji was concentrating on writing out numbers and was oblivious to everything around him. Takuma decided to have some fun with the redhaired boy sitting in front of him. He picked up Kenji's long red ponytail and dipped it in his inkwell.

Kenji was startled by the feeling of his hair being touched and whipped around to Takuma, who was solemnly concentrating on his numbers. Kenji turned around to continue his numbers and saw ink splotches on the paper where his ponytail had brushed it. Reaching to the back of his head, Kenji felt wet ink. His fingers came away with ink all over them.

The sound of Takuma's snickering made Kenji turn and glare at him. Kenji was too angry to speak, his tiny body shaking with rage.

"Well the tip of your ponytail looks Japanese. Maybe you should pour ink all over your head so you don't look like a foreigner anymore," said Takuma, grinning maliciously.

Kenji snapped. With a battle cry worthy of Battousai himself, Kenji lept over the desk at Takuma, scratching and biting for all the world like the great cat for which Grandpa Hiko had named him.

"Aaaaa! Get him off me! Get him off me!" cried Takuma.

Kenji felt himself being pulled off Takuma by the collar of his kimono. He looked into the angry eyes of Fukushita-sensei.

"Himura, what is going on here?" she said.

It was asking too much of Kenji's pride for him to explain what had just happened, so he remained silent and glared at his tormentor.

"I didn't do anything to him and he just jumped on me," lied Takuma.

Kenji snarled at him.

"Such outrageous behavior on your first day, Himura. You go and stand at the blackboard for the rest of the morning," said Fukushita-sensei.

Kenji whose blue eyes were dancing with rage, went to the blackboard silently, never once looking at Takuma or the teacher. As he stood there, he could feel all eyes on him. He burned with rage and humiliation, but never once lowered his head.

* * *

As he swung his axe into the logs, Kenshin kept thinking of Kenji. He had a bad feeling about today, something in his gut told him that things weren't going well for the boy. As a father, he wanted to intervene and make anyone who messed with his son regret it. However, he knew that Kenji would never forgive him for such a transgression.

Ever since Kenji could walk, he wanted to do everything himself. If he wanted something that was out of his reach, he would climb on top of something else to get to it. Kenshin vividly remembered when Kenji was three and four and would fall into the well at night because he refused to ask him or Kaoru to get him water when he was thirsty.

School would be no different. If Kenji thought that Kenshin was interfering and protecting him, his pride would be hurt and this would make the boy resent him. Kenshin still remembered when Kenji had disliked him as a baby and didn't want to risk losing the boy's affection by insulting his pride.

Still though, when Kenshin recalled his own harsh treatment back in his village, his heart yearned over his son. He hoped against hope that Kenji would fare better with the other children than he had at that age. With a sigh, Kenshin continued to chop. Only four more hours and Kenji would be home safe and sound. Maybe then he could relax.

* * *

Kenji was kept at the blackboard till lunch time. When Fukushita-sensei dismissed him from the board, he turned stiffly around without even acknowledging her, grabbed his bento box and went outside. Kenji found himself a secluded spot under a tree away from the other children. He wasn't exactly in a social mood after what had transpired this morning.

As Kenji sat eating the lunch his dad had packed, he felt a ki approaching him. He looked up, ready to fight if it was Takuma. Instead he saw the girl. What was her name? Touru! That was it!

"Hello. My name is Uchina Touru," she said with a bow.

"Himura Kenji," he returned quietly.

"I saw what that boy did to you. That was really unfair. Maybe if I told Fukushita-sensei what I saw, she could punish him too," said Touru.

"Nah. It's in the past, so it's not worth thinking about anymore. I just want to forget it happened," said Kenji.

"That's very kind of you. Most boys would want revenge. Would you like a riceball?" said Touru, holding one out to Kenji.

Kenji took the proffered riceball with a smile and in return, held out a piece of sushi, which Touru took in trade. The two ate their lunches together in companionable silence. After they finished eating, they played a game of hide and seek.


	2. Kenji's Ponytail

After they came in from lunch, Kenji sat stiffly in his seat, facing forward. Takuma spent the rest of the day tormenting Kenji by throwing little wads of paper at him and flicking the back of his head. Kenji, not wanting to get in trouble twice in one day, endured it silently, seething all the while. 

Mercifully, dismissal time rolled around. Kenji waited in hiding till he saw Takuma head toward his house. He also watched Touru skip off in the direction of her house. Kenji trudged home slowly. All he wanted to do was get into the house and try to get the ink out of his hair. He hoped that Dad and Mom wouldn't ask him how his day went. As he approached the dojo, Kenji reached back and tucked his dyed ponytail under his kimono.

Kenji opened the front gate just a crack and peaked around. The frontyard was deserted. Good! Kenji stepped through, closing the gate behind him. He moved quickly and quietly, always keeping his senses attuned to his surroundings.

Kenji stepped in the front door and slipped off his sandals before stepping up from the genkan. He started to walk to his room when the front door slid open behind him, startling him. Kenji whirled around to see Mom with Dad standing behind her.

"Okerinasai, Kenji-chan. How was school?" asked Mom.

"It was alright Mom," said Kenji quietly. "I'm gonna go play in my room now."

"Oh, alright," said Kaoru, who had been expecting Kenji to be excited about his first day at school.

Kenshin said nothing.

* * *

Kenji went out to the well with an empty pitcher. He needed water to try and wash the ink out of his hair. Kenji walked carefully to avoid spilling any water. So intent was he on this that as he was coming back in, he almost ran headfirst into Kenshin. 

"Oro?" said Kenshin, looking at the pitcher of water.

"I need it for something in my room," said Kenji, without looking up.

Kenshin reached down and pulled Kenji's ponytail out from under his kimono, revealing the ink-stained hair. Kenji looked down at the floor, shame creeping into every iota of his tiny being.

"Might this be the something?" asked Dad evenly.

Kenji nodded.

"What happened?" asked Kenshin.

"I leaned my head back too far and my hair dipped into the inkwell behind me," lied Kenji.

Kenshin shook his head. He could read his six-year-old's ki like an open book and knew when the boy was lying, which almost never happened.

"A boy at school," said Kenji softly.

"Someone did this to your hair on purpose?" asked Kenshin, feeling white hot anger surge up in him, but quickly controlling it.

Kenji nodded. Kenshin sighed. It was as he'd feared. Kenji's exotic looks and temperament set him too far apart from the other children.

"Let me help you wash the ink out," said Kenshin.

Father and son went to work, getting water for the furo and stoking the fire, which didn't take too long with the two of them doing it. After everything was ready, they stepped into the furo and undressed together. Kenshin had Kenji sit down on the stool and went to work on his son's hair.

Kenshin worked on Kenji's hair for a good 20 minutes, scrubbing vigorously, soaping, rinsing, resoaping and rerinsing. But no matter how hard he scrubbed or how much he washed, that ink was fast. There was only one way to get it: the stained ends of Kenji's hair would have to be cut off.

Kenji's lip quivered when Dad broke the news to him. He loved his long hair because it made him look just like his sire. Kenji brought his emotions under control and nodded rigidly.

"Please do it fast, Dad and get it done," he said sadly.

"As soon as we're done with the bath," promised Kenshin.

Kenshin and Kenji soaked together in silence, Kenji lying limply in his dad's arms, listening to the steady thrum of his heartbeat. Usually bath time was fun for them, with Kenji sailing his little toy boat around the tub and playing all kinds of silly games with his dad. But not today. The little guy's spirit was definitely hurting, and Kenshin hurt for his son.

After they were out of the bath and dressed, Kenshin got the sheers and cut off no more hair than he had to. Kenji still had enough hair to reach just between his shoulder blades. Kenji heard the blades again, turned and saw that Dad had cut off a length of his own ponytail. His was now just to between his shoulder blades too.

"Dad?" he asked.

Kenshin smiled and patted his son on the head. "Now we can grow our hair back out together," he said happily.

"Thanks Dad," said Kenji with a small smile.

"You're welcome, koshishi. C'mon. Time to start dinner," said Kenshin, offering his son a hand.


	3. The Mamushi

The next two weeks at school were hell on earth for Kenji. Not a day went by that Takuma didn't think of something to torment the red-haired youngster with. Takuma learned early on not to directly challenge Kenji to a fight during school hours when he wielded his shinai and bruised Takuma's arms and legs badly, earning himself more punishment from Fukushita-sensei. After that Takuma became more discrete in his harassment. He played pranks on Kenji or just verbally tormented him. 

Kenji was an unlucky little boy in that he always got caught when he fought back against his tormentor. Because of his swordsman's pride, Kenji refused to tell his side of the story, thus he alone was punished. He refused to tell his parents everything that was going on at school because he wanted to be strong.

Throughout this, Touru stayed at Kenji's side and was really his only close friend. During recess, if Takuma came to pick a fight, she'd threaten to tell the teacher on him. Kenji would always ask her not to get involved, but Touru refused to be dissuaded.

Because Touru was so kind to him every day and played with him during all their free time, Kenji invited her over to the dojo. Touru had never been in a kenjutsu dojo before and was fascinated by it. After introducing her to his parents (who took an instant liking to her), Kenji showed her the training hall, his shinai and his grandfather's bokken (borrowed from Dad). Under Mom's supervision, Kenji gave Touru some beginner's lessons with the shinai. Touru found she liked it and thought about asking her parents if she could become a student of the dojo.

"Looks like Kenji-chan's found himself a little girlfriend," joked Kaoru.

Kenshin's only response was a smile. He sensed that Touru was to be a permanent fixture in their son's life.

* * *

In late September, Fukushita-sensei announced to the class that she would be taking them on a field trip deep into the countryside for a nature study. The children were thrilled at the prospect of a day outside the classroom. 

The next day, Fukushita-sensei led all the children out of the temple in a single-file line and led them deep into the wilderness for their nature study. Kenji walked behind Touru and kept a leery eye out for Takuma. Not a day went by that he didn't do something to piss him off, whether it be snide remarks, a yank on the ponytail or a rude drawing of him on the blackboard. Takuma hadn't tried anything yet today, which put Kenji especially on edge.

The countryside was very beautiful in late September. The leaves were turning from green into different hues of browns, yellows and reds. Some of the trees had started to drop their leaves. Many of the little girls stopped along the way to collect the brightest and prettiest leaves. The boys liked to kick the leaves up and tromp noisily through them. Kenji found some very pretty red-and-yellow speckled maple and oak leaves and gave them to Touru. Touru clutched the leaves to her chest as she walked beside Kenji.

As they went along, Kenji sensed that something wasn't right. He turned his head and saw that Takuma had broken away from the group and was looking at something interesting in the tall grass. Narrowing his blue eyes, Kenji left the line too. What was that idiot up to? Touru, seeing Kenji leave, also left the line and followed him. Fukushita-sensei and the others never noticed the three children leave.

Kenji approached his tormentor silently and couldn't believe what he saw. The idiot had cornered and was teasing a mamushi with a stick! The viper was coiled up and hissing angrily at him, fangs out and poised to strike. Takuma thrust his long stick at it. The serpent struck the stick, spraying venom on it. Undaunted, he thrust again agitating the snake further.

Kenji knew from his wilderness treks with his dad, the Rooster and Yahiko-nii that this was a foolish thing to do. From day one, respect for the wilderness and all its little creatures had been drilled into his ruddy head. Kenji would never dream of tormenting an animal in this way, especially one so deadly.

Then it happened, Takuma tormented the mamushi once too much and the snake struck at him. It was all over in the blink of an eye. Takuma was lying on the ground several feet from where he'd just been and Kenji was on the ground, doubled up in pain from the snake bite. As the mamushi retreated into the tall grass, Touru dropped her leaves and came tearing out and knelt down over the now-shivering Kenji.

"Kenji-kun!" she almost screamed, seeing how pale he was turning before her eyes. Turning to Takuma, who was just now getting to his feet, she said to him fiercely, "Go get Fukushita-sensei! Kenji-kun's hurt!"

Takuma ran after the group, which apparently still wasn't aware of the three children's absence. Fukushita-sensei came running back after ordering the children to stay a respectable distance back.

Moving quickly, she scooped Kenji up in her arms and gave the order to move out. They had to hurry to the Oguni Clinic, for time was of the essence! The group went as quickly as they could back to Tokyo and to the Oguni Clinic. As they went along, Takuma's mind replayed the incident over and over. Kenji had taken the snake bite meant for him. Why would the boy he'd tormented daily for two weeks do such a thing? By the time they got there, Kenji was struggling to breathe.

"Takani-sensei, we have an emergency!" cried Fukushita-sensei as they came in.

Megumi emerged from the behind the door and dropped her medical bag when she saw who lay pale as death in the teacher's arms. She ushered Fukushita-sensei and Kenji into the examining room to treat the boy. Megumi, having been educated in medicine by her father who had trained in Europe, knew many exotic cures for things that would be incurable for other doctors. Kenji's life could be saved, but they were in a battle against time.

Touru now vented her wrath on Takuma.

"I hope you're happy, idiot!" she cried. "Kenji-kun saved you even though you've been nothing but mean to him. If he dies, I'll never forgive you!"

Takuma could only hang his head in shame.

"You go to the dojo and tell his parents. Kenji-kun needs his mom and dad with him right now," said Touru.

"I don't know where he lives," said Takuma miserably.

Touru gave Takuma directions. The boy set off, hoping to do some kind of penance for all that had transpired this morning.


	4. Guilt and Repentance

Takuma ran as fast as he could, but his legs felt like dead weights. The guilt he felt made it hard to move, also the prospect of facing the parents of his victim. But what must be done, must be done.Takuma arrived at the front gate, slid it open, ran to the front door of the house and started banging on it. 

"Himura-san! Himura-san!" he cried out.

The door slid open and he was greeted by who he guessed to be Kenji's mom, a pretty woman with large blue eyes like Kenji's and hair of midnight black.

"Are you a classmate of Kenji's?" asked Kaoru, having never seen this boy before. She knew of Kenji's troubles in school from what Kenshin had told her, but Kenji had never told either parent exactly who it was that harassed him. That they couldn't extract from him.

"It's all my fault! I was teasing a mamushi with a stick and he pushed me out of the way and it bit him instead!" cried Takuma, on the verge of hysterics.

"A mamushi! Kenshin!" called Kaoru.

A gust of wind and a red blur flying out of the gate told Kaoru that Kenshin had already heard everything.

"Let's go!" she said. Takuma nodded and followed her. Kenshin was already halfway to the clinic.

Due to her condition, Kaoru couldn't take the risk of running. She had to settle for walking as fast as she could. Takuma felt worse and worse all the time. What if Kenji-kun was dead? It would be all his fault and he would have blood on his soul.

* * *

Oguni Clinic 

Megumi had given Kenji the best medicines in the clinic. The rest was now up to him. To her relief, the medicines seemed to be having a good effect. He was no longer feverish and shivering, and his color seemed to be coming back. Just then the door slid open and in came a wild-eyed Kenshin.

"He'll be alright, Ken-san," said Megumi soothingly. "The fever's already coming down."

Kenshin nodded briefly, then knelt down at the bedside and took his son's hand in his own, never moving his eyes from the boy's face. Megumi stepped out to give father and son time alone. Before long Kaoru and Takuma showed up as well. Kaoru went into the back to be with her two redheads.

* * *

Takuma sat staring at the floor. He hoped Kenji-kun would be alright. If Kenji-kun woke up, he resolved to apologize and take back every nasty crack he'd made about his hair and nationality. Just then the door slid open. Takuma looked up into Himura-san's cold gaze. 

"Kenji told me that one of the boys at school was bothering him, teasing him about his hair. Would you know anything about that?" said Kenshin softly, his violet eyes boring into Takuma.

Takuma shifted around uncomfortably and nodded, not daring to meet Kenshin's eyes. Kenji's dad was scary!

"Why?" asked Kenshin softly.

"His hair's funny," said Takuma wretchedly.

"My hair is funny too. Why don't you pick on me?" asked Kenshin shortly.

Takuma couldn't answer under Himura-san's piercing gaze.

"You are nothing more than a coward and a bully. After all that's happened, will you continue to torment him even now?" asked Kenshin.

Takuma shook his head, tears welling in his eyes.

"I won't do it ever again, Himura-san. I swear. I'll be real good to Kenji-kun if he lives," sobbed Takuma.

"He'll live. Megumi-dono got to him in time," said Kenshin.

"He's gonna be OK?" asked Takuma, finally gathering the courage to look into Himura-san's eyes.

Kenshin nodded stiffly.

"Thank you, Himura-san," said Takuma softly.

"Don't thank me. Thank Kenji when he's well again," said Kenshin, his gaze softening the tiniest bit. He could forgive Takuma. He could even like the boy. But his worry for Kenji wouldn't permit Kenshin to be warm to Takuma right now. After Kenji woke up, it would be easier.

* * *

Kenji was kept at the clinic overnight for observation. Kenshin sent a reluctant Kaoru home and stayed at the clinic with his son, sleeping on the bed with Kenji in his arms. 

Kenji's blue eyes opened as the sun shone on them through the window the next morning. The first thing he become aware of was being held in a strong and warm embrace. Dad. Only Dad felt this warm. He looked into his father's sleeping face and saw the worry lines around his eyes.

"Dad," whispered Kenji, tugging his father's hair gently.

Kenshin's eyes open as he stirred to wakefulness. His gaze locked with his son's, bringing a smile to his face.

"Good morning, son of mine," he said with a smile, hugging the boy to him.

"What happened?" asked Kenji.

"You took the snakebite meant for your classmate and your teacher brought you here. You're going to be fine," said Kenshin, smiling for the first time since hearing about what happened.

After Megumi gave them some breakfast, Kenshin carried his son home with orders from the doctor to keep him in bed for two more days. Kenji wouldn't return to school for a week while he regained his strength. Kenji couldn't say he was sorry not to go back there for a bit.

* * *

While Kenji recovered at home, he had visitors. First came Touru, much to Kenji's delight. She brought several get-well gifts as well as makeup work, which Kenji received with less enthusiasm. The two children had a great time playing and reading together in Kenji's room. 

"When can you come back to school, Kenji-kun?" asked Touru.

"On Monday," said Kenji.

"That's good. I miss our games during recess," said Touru.

"Me too," said Kenji, blushing.

* * *

Kenshin slid open the front door and saw Takuma standing and trembling. Feeling more relaxed now that Kenji was on the mend, he smiled kindly at Takuma. Takuma, seeing that Kenji's dad wasn't scary anymore, stopped trembling and returned a small smile. 

"Hello Takuma-chan. How are you?" said Kenshin softly.

"I'm well. Thank you Himura-san," returned Takuma, bowing.

"I assume you're here to see Kenji. Come inside and wait in the living room. I'll tell him you're here," said Kenshin.

"Thank you, Himura-san," said Takuma meekly.

* * *

Kenji at Mom's insistance, was doing a bit of makeup work. He had sensed Takuma's ki outside. As he expected, he sensed his dad's ki at his door. 

"C'mon in," he called before Kenshin could even wrap.

Kenshin grinned to himself and slid the door open, stepping into the room.

"Hiyoshani Takuma is here. Do you want to see him, or not?" said Kenshin.

Kenji considered for a moment.

"I'll see him," he said.

Kenji nodded and Kenshin went back to the front to admit the little penitent.

* * *

Takuma entered Kenji's room and found the red-haired boy sitting up against a cushion. Kenji read his ki and sensed no hostility or malice, those having been supplanted by guilt and sorrow. Takuma stood rigid and trembling. What was there to say to the boy whose life he'd made a living hell since school had started and who had then saved his life with no hesitation? Takuma felt his throat tighten. Abruptly, he bowed himself low to the ground. 

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I'm so sorry, Kenji-kun. I'm sorry for everything. I'm a goldfish turd."

Kenji didn't really know what to think. Not a day had gone by without a nasty word or a glare from Hiyoshi Takuma. Yet here he was, sincerely apologizing and asking forgiveness. Dad had always taught Kenji that it was best to forgive one's enemies when they asked and leave the past in the past. This was more honorable than the old ways of seeking revenge, which simply led to blood for blood, eye for eye, tooth for tooth. Kenji let out a small sigh.

"Get up, Takuma," he said.

Takuma sat up and looked down at his hands.

"I'll forgive you if you make me a promise," said Kenji.

"Anything," said Takuma.

"Stop being a goldfish turd. I can't forgive you if you stop picking on me just cuz I saved your life and then start picking on some other kid cuz you don't like their hair or whatever," said Kenji.

"I promise," said Takuma. "I won't be a goldfish turd anymore. I'll never pick on anyone again."

"On your honor?" asked Kenji.

"Yes! Yes, on my honor," said Takuma, gathering his courage and looking Kenji in the eye.

"OK, I forgive you," said Kenji.

Takuma bowed down again.

"Thank you. Thank you," he whispered.

Kenji sighed.

"Would you quit it? That's annoying," he said irritably.

Takuma snapped back into sitting up position.

"Sorry," he said softly.

Takuma reached into his pocket and pulled out a small get-well gift for Kenji.

"Thanks," said Kenji.

* * *

At first there was an awkward silence between Kenji and Takuma. Takuma still felt too ashamed to really speak to Kenji. Kenji found the silence annoying, so he started questioning Takuma about the goings-on at school. 

"So what's been happening at school?" he asked.

"There are two new kids at school who look exactly alike," said Takuma. "Kyoran Hao and Tao. They kept switching places and fooling Fukushita-sensei yesterday."

"Wow. I can't wait to meet them," said Kenji excitedly.

"Want me to bring 'em by tomorrow?" asked Takuma.

"Yeah," said Kenji. It'd be great to meet a set of twins. The only other set of twins he knew were Tae and Sae, but they were seldom together as Sae lived in Kyoto.

After that icebreaker, Kenji and Takuma felt more natural around each other. They spent the rest of the hour looking at Kenji's books and complaining about the copious amounts of work that Fukushita-sensei doled out to the student body.

By the time Takuma left for home, he felt as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He'd atone for the sin of tormenting Kenji by being a good friend to him and by never tormenting another kid again. Being mean just didn't pay.


	5. Epilogue

The next day, Takuma brought the Kyoran twins over to meet Kenji, who was now allowed out of bed, though he still had to take things easy. Kenji stared them up and down. Both had slicked back black hair and thick framed glasses. They looked EXACTLY alike.

"I'm Hao," said one.

"I'm Tao," said the other.

"No you're not!" said Takuma. "This is Tao and this is Hao!"

Kenji laughed. He sensed that the four of them would be great friends and have a lot of great adventures in the future.

"Fukushita-sensei makes us sit apart from each other so she can tell us apart..." began Tao.

"But we just switch places before going into the room," finished Hao.

The four children then started playing hide and seek around the compound. Kenji with his ki sensing abilities, had an unfair advantage. He let the others win sometimes so they wouldn't be angry with him.

* * *

Kenji started back to school on Monday. Takuma, Touru and the twins were waiting at the gate to walk with him. Kenshin and Kaoru watched their son go off with the other four children. Hope welled in Kenshin's heart. Kenji's kind heart had won him these friends. Perhaps Kenji would have an easier childhood than he had. As a father, it was what he hoped for most.

"I think our little guy is growing up," said Kaoru wistfully.

"Yes," said Kenshin, not trusting himself to say anymore.

His eyes lit and the smile graced his features. To him, it was just yesterday that Kenji was a baby, yanking on his hair. Now, he was in school and had overcome his problems with no help from his parents. In a few more years, Kenji would be a young man and eventually go through his genpuku.

Kenshin's pride in his family was complete.

~Owari~


End file.
